Talk
by eravvi
Summary: Because Reyna and Nico need a friendship fic, and this was the idea I had at the time. Completely platonic. Mentions of Solangelo. Takes place right after Blood of Olympus.


A/N: Just saying, I'm not much of a HoO or PJ fangirl. I just thought these two could make a really cute friendship. And references to Solangelo or whatever Will/Nico is officially called.

Cue sappy titles and crappy writing below. I just needed to get this out of my head. It's been there too long. I've actually rewritten parts.

AND I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS! :D

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Nico had stood by her for the last few days, when Romans and Greeks had been talking about the finer details of the truce.

Reyna hadn't expected this.

Yes, sure, they had grown closer over the shadow-traveling days. But after that, Reyna had expected the Ambassador of Pluto to go back into his dark shell and disappear from her world.

Thankfully, he didn't.

Reyna hadn't realized that she had no one else to lean on. All of those she worked with were busy with their... friends.

It was a word that Reyna never found use of; her life had always been so troubling. Perhaps as the daughter of a war goddess, she constantly longed for commotion of war. But now that there was peace and spare time, Reyna had nothing to do and no one to talk to... Except Nico.

"Thinking?" Nico's quiet voice penetrated her thoughts. "You know... You can always tell me..."

Reyna turned to see the young demigod staring up at her. "It's... Nothing," Reyna decided. What would Nico know about the struggles of leading others?

"No, it's not nothing. Maybe you're not comfortable telling me; I respect that. But please don't say it's nothing. That's nothing but another lie," Nico said fiercely.

"Oh, and who are you to say that?" Reyna sneered. "How many lies have you told your friends? 'Oh, I'm fine, just lurking in the darkness. Oh, I don't need rest, I'll be okay.' Are those not lies?"

"Well, at least I have friends!" Nico yelled. Reyna felt the hurt hit her stomach like Imperial Gold.

"At least I have people who talk to me! I might not be their best friend, but AT LEAST I HAVE THEM! But what about you? Where are your friends?!" Nico practically screamed.

"I'll... Just... Leave." The Roman preator was stung that the younger demigod had gotten the best of her. "I've got stuff to do," she lied. Reyna turned around and left, shifting her cape closer to her.

Nico didn't try to follow her. At first, Reyna felt disappointed, but brushed it aside. _After all, it's nothing,_ she told herself. _He's right. Just because we bonded over a few days means nothing. I don't have friends, because I don't need friends._

"Reyna! Wait, I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it that way," murmured Nico. His face had fallen into guilt, and Reyna knew that unless she wanted to make his words true, she had to forgive him.

"It's okay, Nico. I forgive you," Reyna whispered, and clasped his hand in hers. "But... From now on, no more secrets. 'Kay?"

Nico nodded. "Okay. We'll start with yours. Anything else you didn't tell me about the grand Roman preator?"

Reyna managed a chuckle. "Here, I'll tell you what Venus... Aphrodite... Told me."

Nico pricked up. "She...she told me I'd never find... Love... With demigods..." Reyna admitted. It had been on her mind for days, but once she said it, it sounded pathetic. "Oh, I'm sorry I told you that. It was a stupid confession."

The son of Pluto shrugged. "I don't think any secrets can be stupid. I mean, I kept all sorts of things from my friends for the longest time, and most of the time when they found out I was forced to admit it."

"Did you ever tell Percy..."

"Yeah, I did," Nico's voice turned cold. "I'm over it now." Reyna shrugged but didn't probe.

"I...I like someone else. I don't know... I'm not sure I want to tell you just right now," Nico muttered.

Reyna sighed. "Are you worried I'll laugh at you or something?" Back when Nico had ghostified Bryce, he'd released a scream filled with his biggest secrets and most harsh memories. These were things Nico probably wouldn't have ever directly told her, so it seemed reasonable he didn't want to share just yet.

"I guess," Nico said quietly.

"It's because... of the way you love... Isn't it?" Reyna asked.

Nico made a forced nod. He looked sick.

"Hey, it's okay. I... None of the guys I ever... Liked... They... They never actually like me, either."

Reyna took a deep breath. In order to get closer to Nico, she had to take this one last step and become truly... A friend. "The first person was Jason. He was nice, I guess, but never actually interested. The second was Percy, but somewhere in there he knew that he still had Annabeth. After that I haven't really..." the Roman preator said quietly.

Nico nodded. "Thanks..."

Reyna frowned. "What for?"

Nico's expression must have matched hers, "It.. Must have been hard to admit." He took a deep breath. "I guess I owe you one," he said.

"It's up to you," Reyna rushed. "I don't want you to feel... Obliged to tell me."

Nico sighed, "No, it's fine." Reyna nodded, slightly eager, actually.

"It's Will Solace."

Reyna almost doubled over in shock. "Apollo's son?" She asked, trying to figure out why the dark and moody son of Hades would like the bright medic son of the god of the sun... maybe every darkness required a light? In her mind, Reyna thought that sounded a lot like an inspirational quote, and she _really_ didn't think this was the time for one.

Nico blushed. "I don't actually understand it either. And did you just refer to Apollo in his Greek name?"

"Nah, the stuck up god of everything bright and lovely chose the same name, so he can be recognized by everyone," Reyna laughed.

Nico seemed appalled, then shrugged, smiling for the first time in a while.

They sat like that for a while, next to each other, sharing things they never told each other. Reyna admitted that she knew some of them, causing Nico to curse Bryce, green magic stemming from his fingers. Nico listened patiently about her struggles as leader, and told her about his time Underworld, as the Ghost King and the son of Hades/Pluto. Then, when they had nothing left to say, they sat quietly, almost touching, enjoying the silent companionship of each other.

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yay! I wrote it! review, maybe?


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